with Jerry & Debbie

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

On Wednesday, Jerry and Debbie welcome Dr. Edward Tick to the show to discuss a phenomenon that is afflicting individuals and families at an alarmingly increasing rate: post-traumatic stress disorder. We hear the phrase used a lot with regard to soldiers who return from combat deployments. But post-traumatic stress can be a harsh reality in the lives of many others as well, people who, at one or more points in their lives, have experienced traumatic and even life-threatening circumstances. This will be a very impactful broadcast, so we hope you will make time to tune in and call with your takes on this very sensitive topic.

After listening to this program, I bought Tick’s book, War and the Soul. I get the impression that he is an atheist or no more than an agnostic. He talks about the “idea” of life after death. Anyway, I was surprised by the statistic he offers that more Viet Nam vets have died from suicide (through 1998) than died in the actual conflict (>100,00 vs 59,000). I have a non-military-related form of PTSD, and it has become obvious to me only after years of retirement, how much this has affected my life. It manifests as mild internal anger and sometimes as outward anger, channeled I previously imagined, because I blended my anger with logic. For example, I am very upset about people talking in church before Mass and during Mass. Of course, they really are talking out loud in church — the guy excited about his new digital camera and talking to his wife about it, the people deciding where they will go for breakfast, or the rosary women clucking like hens, barely coming to order to actually say the rosary, etc. It magnifies other people faults in my thinking.

I didn’t hear all of the program with Dr Tick, so I didn’t get the whole flavor of what he offers. Maybe I’ll gain some insight in the rest of the book. His description of combat-related PTSD coincided with my watching some later episodes of Foyle’s War on Netflix, which has some characters suffering from the problem — disturbed sleep, guilt, over-reaction, anger, rage, etc.

First, be assured of our prayers as you strive to come to a deeper understanding of your PTSD. The archive of the show is here on the website if you care to listen to the whole show. We made the point that virtually everyone could say that he or she is suffering from this in one way or another, so common are the “traumas” that we all suffer beginning at a young age. We pray that this broadcast has brought some light to people with PTSD struggles.

I don’t really like the theme of the Take2 program which is replayed over and over during the broadcast. “oh oh oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh, oh, oh” give me a break. It doesn’t even mean anything, it’s just noise (my PTSD revealing itself).

I continue reading Tick’s War and the Soul, despite the anti-Christian tone in it. I have the Kindle edition, without page numbers. all I can say is that I’m reading in the middle of Chap 15. Tick quotes James Hillman who says a warrior is one who knows the love of war…”He has learned the wisdom and humility that comes from having once more served Ares, and he takes on the commitment now to be an instrument of justice and healing for humanity as a servant of Athena.” In other words, to be a warrior involves having false gods. I agree that it probably does just that in many cases, but is this applicable to Christians in any frame of reference?

Isn’t there a Christian psychologist who can talk about PTSD in a more faithful context?

I would suggest you call in to the show that airs immediately before ours on EWTN Radio. It’s “Women of Grace” with host Johnnette Benkovic. She and her guests talk about matters such as this on a frequent basis. The show airs from 11-Noon ET Monday through Friday. The call-in number is 800-585-9396. God bless you.

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Take 2 with Jerry & Debbie

Hosts Jerry Usher and Debbie Georgianni create a welcoming on-air environment so that their listeners feel comfortable sharing with one another their take on the most important issues of daily life. Catholics helping Catholics! As a peer-to-peer ministry, it's social media for the ears!

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FRIDAY: Unscripted02/23/2018 at 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

MONDAY: They’re Now With the Lord02/26/2018 at 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

TUESDAY: Breaking Through02/27/2018 at 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

WEDNESDAY: “I’d Give Anything To…”02/28/2018 at 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

THURSDAY: Who Or What Are You Praying For?03/01/2018 at 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm